About the Band

Ho-Hai-Yan Indie Music Awards

Every year Fulong Beach on the northern end of Taiwan becomes a mecca for indie bands participating in the island's largest battle of the bands. Since beginning in 2000, the festival has featured bands of all genres including indie rock, punk, ska, metal, pop, electronica, folk as well as various fusion styles. Furthermore, the competition reflects this diversity with a list of finalists that has included 88 BALAZ, TIZZY BAC, CHILDREN SUCKER and most recently WHITE EYES. Ho-Hai-Yan, a name taken from an aboriginal phrase signifying the ocean, has now come to be synonymous with having good summertime fun while supporting local independent talent.

Band links:

DESERTS CHANG (MANGO RUNS)
HOTPINK

Taiwanese CDs

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Ho-Hai-Yan Indie Music Awards 2003
(TCM029)

CD Compilation - TW055 $18.99

TRACK LIST:


  1. MANGO RUNS - Intro
  2. MANGO RUNS - After All
  3. THE WIZARD OF OZ - Lose
  4. HIHER - Linger In A Dream
  5. HOTPINK - Horny Starfish Prefers Not To Take Breakfast
  6. ROCK BAND - True Love, Where Art Thou?
  7. MONKEY INSANE - Suck School
  8. RELAX ONE - Life Like A Airhead
  9. SO WHAT - Tell Me Which Way
  10. SPUNKA - Junkie Boy
  11. STONE - Politic Sucks
  12. XL - Gimme Your Number

PACIFICTION REVIEW:

The 2003 Hoi-Hai-Yan battle of the bands came at a high point in the Taiwan music scene where young bands got exposed for the first time and as some highly regarded indie artists saw the event as a foothold in their career. DESERTS CHANG found herself in such a situation at Fulong beach leading her then indie band MANGO RUNS as she introduces this collection which flows into her brand of melodic alt-rock. Making their first festival appearance, grrl punk group HOTPINK proved to be one of the energetic bands that have helped build the punks scene since performing "Horny Starfish" here. MONKEY INSANE, the 2003 Indie Awards winners, rock the excitable crowd with some hard-hitting nu-metal. Offering a more mellow attraction are Taipei lounge rock group RELAX-ONE. The already established SO WHAT perform an impassioned alternative ballad. SPUNKA manages to bring punk rock to the attention of mild-mannered goers and XL rocks the beach with hardcore breakdowns and electro-infused nu-metal. Overall the 2003 Ho-Hai-Yan beach festival was brimming with diverse jams and this live compilations shows the wide array of sounds to be found at Fulong every year.